Sacrifice
by Celia Wroth
Summary: Lilah Kuran was cursed only days after her birth by a witch fulfilling a years old curse, and everyone around her scramble to find a cure. But secrets are revealed that were better left buried.
1. Chapter 1

Kuran Kaname stood over his wife, his newborn daughter cuddled in his arms. Sara opened her sleepy eyes and smiled weakly at her husband and child. She raise her hand and brushed the blond fuzz on the baby`s head, contentment easing deep into her body.

"Lilah." She whispered the child`s name. Lilah squirmed in her father`s arms, closed eyes squeezing tighter, and let out a loud wail.

"I believe she wants her mother." Kaname murmured, bending down to give the child to her mother. The door opened then, and the newly- made grandparents stepped into the room.

"My, she has such a large set of lungs." Juri Kuran gazed lovingly at her granddaughter. "Don't you agree, Haruka?"

Her husband only grunted in response and ushered for Kaname to come to him. Kaname nodded and deposited the baby gently into Sara`s arms, then straightened and walked to his father.

Sara watched for a few moments as the two Kuran purebloods walked out of the room, then turned her attention to her mother-in-law and plastered a smile on her exhausted features.

"Come see our little Lilah, Juri." Sara invited the older woman to the bed. Juri, barely concealing her excitement, sat on the edge of the bed and held her arms out to receive the baby.

Lilah squirmed more and let out another wail as she was shifted from one set of arms to another. Juri and Sara both chuckled at the noise the young pureblood made.

"Hush now, little Lilah. Your grandma is holding you." Juri cooed to the crying babe. Tears pricked her eyes as the baby quieted, a deep pang hitting her heart. "I will treat you like the daughter I never had." She whispered, her cool breath disturbing loose strands of hair that fell into the baby`s face.

Lilah opened her eyes, revealing the wine colored orbs of the Kuran family. Juri smiled lovingly at the child, and Sara cooed at her young over Juri's shoulder.

"She is such a beautiful child." Sara ran the backs of her fingers against the baby`s soft cheek. Juri nodded in agreement.

Haruka Kuran sat behind his desk and looked at his son.

"I believe you know why I called you in here, especially so soon after your daughter`s birth." He addressed the young prince.

"Yes. Lilah was not the male heir we need." Kaname replied, face expressionless. Haruka nodded, not in agreement, but to say that Kaname was correct.

"She is the first Kuran to be born in thousands of years, and the first female since your mother. For that, I will let it slide. But I do suggest you and Sara work on giving her a brother. I may be king, but I will not be able to control the decisions of the counsel if they wish to find a male from another clan for Lilah." Haruka stood and clasped his son by the shoulder. "Congratulation, my son, for entering fatherhood."

The elder pureblood gave a rare smile and hugged the younger one.

"Thank you, father." Kaname replied, returning the hug.

"Now go and be with your wife and child." The king dismissed him, returning to his desk and sinking down with a sigh into his chair. Kaname nodded and walked to the door. He paused, hand on the doorknob.

"When will we introduce her to society?" He asked his father. Haruka looked up from the paper he was reading and mused on the question.

"We will have a ball in her honor in one week. By that time she should be awake more often." And with that, he turned his attention back to his paper. Kaname opened the door and stepped out into the hallway.

"You should get some sleep, Sara." Juri said softly. She made sure Lilah was tucked in warmly and walked to the bed her daughter-in-law lay in.

"I know. But I feel a restlessness in me that I cannot rid myself of." Sara replied, hiding a yawn behind her hand.

Juri smiled at the blond, helping her to lie down. "All new mothers are like that. It is intensified for us because we are pureblooded." She tucked the cover over the younger woman and turned down the light to a dim glow.

The door opened softly and Kaname stepped into the room. Juri held her finger to her lips and motioned for him to be quiet.

"Let her sleep. What did you and your father talk about?" the queen grabbed Kaname`s elbow and steered him back out of the room.

"It only concerned the matter of an heir. He advised me to get Sara pregnant again in hopes of a male as soon as possible."

Juri scoffed at the words. "That poor girl had just gone through nine hours of labor not too long ago, and you and your father are already talking about putting her through that again!"

Kaname chuckled at his mother and placed his hand on the wrist that still held his elbow.

"Lilah will be introduced to society in a week." He quickly changed the subject. Juri`s face lighted up, a wide smile spreading across her face. Wilting flowers sitting in glass vases nearby instantly stood erect and healthy again from the pureblood`s mood.

"Oh! I am so excited!" Her expression fell for a minute, then quickly lightened again so fast that Kaname thought he imagined it. "I regret denying your father another child. Seeing Lilah, I long for a daughter." She sighed deep in her chest and stopped, turning around to face her son. "Promise me you will never do anything you might regret."

Kaname puzzled over her words, but nodded his head nonetheless.

"I promise."

Juri smiled and continued to walk down the hall, dragging her son along with her. "I will make the guest list as soon as I can, and the first person I am inviting will be Yuuki Cross." She said with a smile.

Yuuki Cross lowered her book as a maid came rushing into the small library, face red and gasping for breath.

The maid curtsied and lowered her head. "Cross-sama, you have a guest." She huffed out. Yuuki motioned for the maid to straighten.

"Bring him to me." She replied. The maid nodded and ran back out of the room, leaving her mistress to chuckle at her actions.

Yuuki knew who was waiting by the front door. Zero Kiryu was the only person that would dare rush a pureblood`s servants. Zero entered the room just as she was putting up her book. The maid curtsied again, took one last look at Zero, and ran back out of the room with a red face.

"You need to stop scaring my servants, Zero." She greeted the silver haired vampire with a chuckle. "Now, to what, or whom, do I owe the pleasure of having you visit today." She sat down on the couch and looked up expectantly at her old friend.

"Kuran Juri." He replied. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a white envelope. "I have a letter for you." He handed her the envelope.

Yuuki carefully opened the seal and pulled out a single sheet of paper. She read over it once, then read it aloud to Zero.

_We hereby request that Yuuki Cross would attend the ceremony of bringing a newborn pureblood, Lilah Kuran, daughter of Kaname and Sara Kuran, into society on the date of February 25_

Yuuki just stared the piece of paper after she finished. Zero reached foreword and pulled the paper out of her hand, watching as her arm fell lifeless to her lap.

"Yuuki?" he said softly. The purebloods eyes rose and met his. She placed her hand on her chest, right above her heart.

"I have never felt this emotion anymore." She whispered to him, pain etched on her face. Behind her, the window cracked in a zigzagged pattern.

"Calm down, Yuuki. Attend the party. If you want an escort, I will be happy to oblige."

He waited until Yuuki nodded, dazed.

"Leave me." She told him. With one last look at his dearest friend, Zero walked out of the room, doing so only because she told him to.


	2. Chapter 2

Yuuki Cross stepped out of the vehicle, thanking her driver for opening the door. The skirt of her dress was bunched in her tight fist as she walked to the door of the Kuran mansion. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach as she thought of seeing the new Kuran for the first time, and she felt like she was going to pass out.

So very unlike her. A feeling so strange for a pureblood vampire.

The guard at the door nodded once and motioned for her to step through the open entrance. Juri Kuran greeted the young brunette with a smile.

"Yuuki!" she embraced the younger girl. Yuuki was momentarily stunned, but then she relaxed. Of course Kuran-sama would be like this; it was the night that her granddaughter was being introduced into society. "I am so glad you made it!"

Yuuki smiled warmly at her old friend and queen. "I wouldn't miss seeing the newborn pureblood princess."

Juri chuckled and pulled Yuuki after her, into the large ball room. Many lower class vampires stopped dancing and bowed to their queen and her guest, offering respect to the two purebloods.

"I see you have already snagged Yuuki." Haruka stood before them, a smile on his face. He embraced Yuuki like a long lost relative, someone who lit up his world every time she entered the room.

Yuuki stepped back and curtsied slightly. "Where are the newly-made parents?" She asked quietly, still flushed from the show of affections from her king.

"Look behind you." Came a familiar voice. Yuuki turned around, a wide smile on her lips.

"Kaname!" she opened her arms and the prince gave her an affectionate hug. Leaning back, she looked to either side of him, aware of the absence of his wife. "Sara-sama?" She questioned, removing her arms from around him.

"Straightening his jacket, Kaname returned the mask to his face. "Taking care of Lilah at the moment." He informed her.

Juri chuckled from behind them. "That child has herself a pair of lungs. I have not seen such a Kuran since Rido was born."

Yuuki raised an eyebrow at the queen's words. "Well, I cannot wait to meet the little princess."

"And I bet she cannot wait to meet you." Sara said politely, coming up from behind Kaname. Yuuki watched as the blond placed a possessive hand on Kaname`s arm, smiling lovingly up at her husband. Kaname returned the smile, love filling the air around them.

A stab of jealousy went through Yuuki. 'I will never have that.' she thought to herself as she watched the married couple.

"I think it's time to bring Lilah out, Kaname." Haruka`s voice piped up. Kaname looked at his father and nodded. Sara smiled at Yuuki and her in-laws, then she and Kaname, hand-in-hand, made their leave.

Yuuki felt a pair of hands clamp down on her shoulders.

"You will love her, Yuuki." Juri whispered in her ear. The pureblood queen dragged the brunette near the entrance, giving a very stern order for her to stay there. Yuuki sighed, ignoring the shocked looks of the lower class vampires around her.

She glared at the ground, regretting ever accepting the invitation and coming to the ball. Her head snapped up a few minutes later, a shiver going down her spine.

_Something is not right..._

She turned and watched as a figure walked through the door, head held high in barely contained ignorance. The woman was very beautiful, long silver hair flowing gracefully down her back. The stranger caught Yuuki`s eye and smiled a wicked, up-to-no-good smile.

Realization hit Yuuki like a ton of bricks. She opened her mouth to warn of the intruder, but the blaring sounds of trumpets filled the room. She closed her mouth and stood there, sweating with fear, not daring to make a peep as the royal family re-entered the ball room with a little pink bundle snuggled into Sara Kuran`s arms.

Juri caught Yuuki`s eyes, then flashed a glance at Haruka. The two shared a puzzled glance, silently pondering over the fear on their friend`s face. Haruka shook off the image of her face and walked to the head of the room.

Yuuki ignored his introductory speech, and instead watched the young witch. As if sensing her gaze, the intruder turned her face to Yuuki`s.

The young pureblood watched as the witch`s lips moved, forming a silent spell.

"Stop!" She screamed, lunging for the woman. Instantly, she dropped to her knees as a sharp pain entered her skull. She held her hand, screaming in true agony, as the lights and windows shattered around her.

"Yuuki!" Juri cried. She lifted her skirts and ran to the young woman, only to be stopped by the same pain crashing through her skull. Haruka stood where he was, dying to run to his wife. He knew, though, that if he made a move, he would not be able to protect his son and his family.

Sara sobbed somewhere behind him, and Kaname turned his head slightly, ordering her to hush. He stood in front of his wife and child, shielding them with his body. He looked on, helplessly, as his old friend and mother lay crumpled in a screaming heap.

The witch spoke aloud now, her hand raised. With ease, she slammed a barrier into the male purebloods, knocking them away. Haruka and Kaname watched in horror, held by a binding spell, as the silver haired woman walked toward Sara and Lilah.

The blond woman cowered over her child, and then screamed in agony as she was forced back. Lilah fell to the ground and let out a loud wail.

"Leave her alone!" Haruka hissed from where he was trapped on the floor. The witch only smirked at him, bending to retrieve the wailing child. She spoke to the red, teary face of the pureblood in another language, a spell that would damn her from her people forever.

"With those words," She switched to English, finishing off her spell, "I take thee vary nature away!" she raised the baby in the air, showing her to the cowering audience. "Enjoy your humanity, young Kuran, for your vampirism is mine!" she cackled, placing the baby carelessly at her feet.

She stepped away from the struggling, angry purebloods, and walked through the crowed. She paused, looking back at her handiwork, the disappeared.

Immediately, the temporary magic was gone. Yuuki and Juri slumped to the ground, whimpering. Haruka and Kaname jumped up and ran to the baby and mother.

Haruka checked the baby for any signs of damage, and then went to his wife. Kaname held his family and watched as Yuuki stood up, groggily, from where she had fallen. He opened his mouth to call for her to come to him, but she flashed out of the large room before a word left his mouth.

He sat there, dazed, as Sara sobbed into his shirt, pondering over the emotion he saw in her eyes as she left.

She had looked at him with...

_Betrayal._

Juri slowly sat up in bed, ignoring the hands that tried to push her down. She latched onto Kaname`s hand, however.

"Check on Yuuki." She pleaded. Sara stood up from her chair, shaking her head.

"He's not leaving his child." She spat. Kaname glared at his wife until she sat down, a look of pure spite on her beautiful features. Kaname turned back towards his mother and keeled beside the bed.

"I will, mother. I will also take Lilah with me," He shot a look at Sara when she stood to protest. "She _cannot _stay here. She will be in constant danger. Yuuki is the only person I trust with my daughter's life." he hissed out.

He turned back to his mother, saw her nod.

"I was thinking the same. If you like, send one or two of the wet nurses with her. If I am feeling like this after that witch attacked, Yuuki will probably be feeling worse considering she was under the witch`s spell longer than I was."

Kaname nodded and stood, then walked out of the room and into the nursery. Picking up the child, he ordered two nurses to pack her stuff, then theirs, and report to the Cross manor when they were through. Then he traced to Yuuki`s home without waiting for an answer.

Kaname placed Lilah in one of the rooms, then walked to the bedroom he could feel Yuuki`s aura in. He knocked once, then opened the door quietly.

Yuuki stirred, then turned on her back and sat up. She groaned in pain, resting her forehead in the palm of one of her hands. A glass lamp nearby shattered, sending shards everywhere in the room.

"What do you want, Kaname?" she hissed out. Her head felt like it couldn't support itself, and she wished that her prince wasn't there to see her this way.

"Does it hurt?" He asked quietly, raising his hand to gently brush a loose strand of hair out of her face. She winced at the contact, but shook her head nonetheless. Kaname sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her into his lap. With a resigned sigh, she rested her head on his chest. "You don't have to act strong in front of me. We both are purebloods, not to mention one of my oldest and very trusted and beloved friends." He rubbed her neck, trying to ease the tension.

She winced and hissed in a breath as he rubbed at a knot. "I'm not that old." she lamely joked. Kaname chuckled a little and continued to rub the pain from her neck and upper back.

"I am sorry I didn't come sooner. I had Sara and Lilah to care for, and mother was harmed, too."

Yuuki raised her head, a sheepish look on her face. "I understand. I guess I should have stayed to help with your mother. How is she?"

Kaname lowered her head again and continued to massage her. "You are worse off than she is, but the physician wants her to stay in bed for a few days." Kaname sighed and got to the heart of the matter. "I also came here to ask you if you would watch Lilah."

Yuuki`s head shot up, sending a wave of white pain through her skull, momentarily clouding her vision. Kaname caught her as she began to fall from his lap and laid her back on the silk sheets.

"What?" she asked her voice raspy.

"The spell that the witch placed on her striped her of her vampirism. I only trust you to watch her and keep her out of danger while I find a way to reverse it."

He hovered over her, waiting for her reply.

_He trusts you, _her inner voice cooed. She sighed, then reluctantly nodded. Kaname gave her a smile.

"I put her in one of your guestroom`s bed. She is sleeping soundly and will not fall off the bed. Two wet nurses are coming to stay with you, too, so you won't have much to do." He informed her, sitting up. Yuuki caught his hand and smiled weakly at him.

"You have no idea what your words mean to me, Kaname." She whispered.

Kaname just sat there, mesmerized by the tears that misted her wine colored orbs.

-**xXx-**

**Hope you like it! Btw: I forgot something in the first chapter... Disclaimer! I do not own Vampire knight or its characters! Only Lilah and the witch... and the plot... so far...**

**Please, once again, ignore my spelling mistakes! I was notified that I spelt blonde wrong. Yea…. It didn't come up wrong in spell-check for some reason. Ill go back and change it eventually. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight, its characters, or the world. The only thing I own is my world and my characters and plot. **

**-xXx-**

Kaname dully flipped through the pages of the book he was studying, quickly scanning the pages. He sighed after re-reading the same thing over for the fifth time. He threw the book down and placed his head in his hands. It had been only two weeks since he had dropped Lilah off, and he missed her like a hole in his chest.

But he feared she was not the only reason he itched so badly to visit the Cross household.

He seemed to be different after he had talked with Yuuki, and it concerned him. Sara and his parents noticed, also, but he believed they thought it to be the fact that he wouldn't see his daughter on a daily bases.

_If only that were true..._

The image of Yuuki`s face with tears in her eyes haunted him. Though they were happy tears, it still tore at his heart. He remembered the first time he ever saw her cry, because of him no less, and how he had vowed to her as he held her sobbing body that he would never cause her pain again.

And ever since that day, he had kept his promise.

He sat back, a thought coming to his mind. He remembered the look in her eyes after the witch had left, and as he thought about it, he realized that it was not the first time he had seen it. He saw it when he met Sara for the first time at a ball to announce their betrothal, again at the wedding, then another time when he announced to her in private that Sara was expecting. Then the last time as she watched his hold his sobbing family while she had staggered to her feet after the intensity of the witch`s spell.

Kaname cursed himself, standing and knocking his head on the wall in frustration.

_How could I be such a fool. I never kept my promise to her. She thinks I abandoned her for Sara and my child. Yuuki has no one to watch over her but me and my parents. _He thought to himself as his forehead hit the wall. _I have always thought of her as a little sister, but now... I don't know._

Kaname lifted his head from the wall and turned. Juri stood at the door with an amused look on her face.

"If you want to see Lilah that bad, you should go to see her." Juri`s grin faded when she saw the look in his eyes. She quickly shut the door and walked over to him, took his hand, and led him to the couch. "This isn't about Lilah, is it?" She asked softly.

Kaname shook his head and pressed a hand to his aching temple.

"I feel like I hurt Yuuki, even after I promised her I wouldn't." He whispered. Juri took his free hand in hers. "She looked at me like I betrayed her after what happened to you two when I went to Lilah and Sara." he stopped.

Juri nodded. "I saw the same look on her face at your wedding. And, also, at your engagement party. You must understand, though, that even though she has Zero as her body guard and a little brother, you are the one who is closer to her than anyone else. I feel the same way about your father." she trailed off. Kaname`s head snapped up.

"Are you saying she has feelings for me?" He hissed. Juri flinched, but nodded.

"Your father and I have a feeling she does. She broke our favorite lamp when we told her about our plans to wed you and Sara. She quickly covered it up, but we both knew the effect she has on things when she's happy."

Kaname stood up, wrenching his hand from his mother`s.

"Why did you not tell me sooner!?" He shouted. Juri flinched and covered her face as the lamp beside her shattered.

"What difference would it have made!?" She stood up, shouting. The lights above them shattered, plunging the room into darkness.

"Everything! It would have made every difference! You let me hurt my Yuuki!"

Juri sobered, her breath catching in her throat. "What did you just say?" she whispered. Kaname lit a candle and shot a look at his mother.

"I said you let me hurt Yuuki." he repeated, tone lifeless.

"No, you said 'my Yuuki'. You called her yours. Kaname, do you have feelings for her?" she asked slowly, voice shaking. Kaname scowled at her, but didn't answer. Juri reached forward and grabbed his hand tightly. "Kaname, if you do, do not tell her!"

Kaname scowled. "Even if I did have feelings for her, why shouldn't I?" he questioned. Juri shook her head.

"It's complicated Kaname. You are married to Sara. Do not disgrace her or your child." Juri let go of Kaname`s hand and stood back. She looked at him a moment longer, then turned and left the room. Kaname stared at the candle, ignoring the black spots that danced in front of his eyes.

He, finally, sighed, and blew out the candle, then traced to the Cross mansion.

"Where is Yuuki?" he asked a maid. She flushed, then pointed to the backdoor. It stood open and sunlight poured through. As he got closer, the laughter of a baby reached his ears. His heart constricted when he eased the door open wider and looked out into the garden.

Yuuki held Lilah in the air, watching with a smile as the baby screeched with laughter. Then, when the sun hurt her too much to look up, she brought the baby down and blew softly into her stomach, causing the baby to screech louder at the noise and feeling.

She turned around when Kaname chuckle. When she laid eyes on him, a wide smile lit her face.

"Kaname!" She set the baby down and ran to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Kaname`s thoughts instantly went back to his conversation with his mother as he returned the hug. Yuuki stepped back and turned to the baby.

"Look who came to visit you!" She picked the child up and handed her to Kaname. Lilah held onto one of her fingers, making her wince a little. Kaname raised an eyebrow. "She may not be a vampire anymore, but she sure is a very strong baby." Yuuki cooed, rubbing her fingers on the baby`s cheeks. Kaname`s eyebrows came together in thought. "So, did you find a reversal?" Yuuki asked quietly.

"Not yet. I've been distracted, I admit. I have wanted to see my little girl for a while now." He kissed the baby on her sun-kissed head. "You have been taking very good care of her, I see." He murmured as he examined his daughter. Lilah squealed, raising both of her hands. Yuuki smiled and wiggled her finger a little, trying to dislodge it from Lilah`s grip.

"Iron strong." She said when the baby pulled her finger again, protesting.

"She likes you a lot, doesn't she?" Kaname asked. Yuuki nodded, a motherly smile sweeping across her face when Lilah begged for her to hold her again. "You will make a great mother someday." He told her quietly, handing her the baby. Yuuki looked at him shocked, a blush tinting her face. Kaname stepped towards her and cupped her face in his palms and leaned towards her.

Yuuki`s heart sped up, breaths coming out harsher than what she would have liked them to be. Her eyes widened as his breath filled the air between their mouths as he hovered over her lips.

_Is he...? _Her thoughts went dim at the close contact. She swear she heard him chuckle, then his mouth took a different path and instead he placed a small kiss to her cheek.

Kaname leaned back and kissed Lilah on the cheek, too. "I see you have everything under control here. I will visit again in a few days, Yuuki." He brushed a hand over Lilah`s cheek. "Bye, Lilah." he smiled.

"Kaname!" She called after him as he walked through the back door, setting the baby on the ground. She ran after him, giving quick orders to a maid to watch the baby. "Kaname!" She ran into the main entrance way.

But the pureblood prince was already gone.

Yuuki stood there, dimly aware that her hand had lifted and rested against her cheek. She sighed and closed her eyes, pressing her hand more firmly over the place he had kissed her at.

_Kaname..._

"We have to tell them!" Juri paced across the room, head in her hands. Haruka watched her from behind his desk. He sighed and leaned foreward, snagging the sleeve of his wife`s gown, stopping her pacing.

"We cannot. We made the decision, now we have to live with it."

"But we are hurting them! What if one of them finds out!" Her voice broke in a sob, arms curling around herself.

"What if one of them already knows." He muttered. Juri`s head shot up, her eyes going wide.

"What are you saying!?" She all but shrieked. Haruka ignored her outburst and stood from his chair.

"It makes sense, you know." He continued, "Yuuki could be the one that sent the witch. She had a lot to gain, and," he turned to his wife, "She hates Sara."

_Slap._

Haruka turned his face, shocked, to his wife. Her hand was still raised and rage was written all over her face. The king lifted his hand and rubbed gently at the bright red mark that marked where his wife had hit him.

"How dare you!" she hissed. "Yuuki would never do such a thing. You saw the look on her face as we walked into the ball room! How could you blame her for that?!"

Haruka looked down in actual shame, and walked back to his desk, sitting down in his chair. He leaned forward and rested his head in the palms of his hands.

"I know it is wrong of me to accuse her, but if you would remove the blind fury from your mind, you will see that what I am saying is true." His voice was low, tired. For a king who barely looked over twenty-five, he felt a thousand years old. Juri sighed and sat down in a nearby chair.

"I know." She whispered, just as strained. The couple looked up as the door opened and their brother, Rido, stepped in, a large book in his hands.

"I think I found a reversal." he stated, bowing slightly in respect. He frowned slightly at the red mark on his brother`s cheek, but figured it wise to ignore it. Juri`s face lightened, and she jumped to the edge of her seat in anticipation.

"Tell us, brother." Haruka urged. Rido nodded and read aloud the passage that he had found.

_If a child has its true nature taken away by magic, it can be reversed by one easy task._

_You must sacrifice a newborn pure-blooded member of the family whose last name that child holds._

The three sat in silence, all hope of saving the princess gone.

"That would mean I would have to have a child just to sacrifice it to save my granddaughter." Juri muttered, tears filling her eyes. "But I cannot have any children. We have tried so many times in the past."

Haruka placed a comforting hand on Juri`s arm and turned towards his brother.

"Thank you, Rido." He dismissed him, then called for a nearby servant. "Siren, go fetch Kaname for me."

"As you wish, master." She bowed, then flashed away.

"We will find a way." he murmured to ease his wife`s pain. But, he too was beginning to feel like all hope was lost.


	4. Chapter 4

Ziro Kiryu walked into the small nursery, a scowl on his face. He paused a moment and studied Yuuki.

"In all my life, I have never seen a pureblood so fond of a human." He stated. Yuuki turned around, a smile plastered on her face. Lilah, half in and half out of her crib, also turned her attention to Zero for a moment, then, bored after only a second of looking, turned her attention back to Yuuki.

"Its nice to see you, Zero." Yuuki greeted him, lifting Lilah out of her crib. She cradled the girl on her hip, brushing a piece of blonde hair out of Lilah`s delicate face. Zero couldn't help the smirk as he watched the child grab for the front of her shirt. Yuuki gently slapped the tiny hand away and rolled her eyes at her guest before placing her ward on the plush carpet.

"It is also nice to see you, Yuuki. I see your hands are full, should I come back later?"

Yuuki shook her head and grabbed the guard`s hand. "Stay. Lilah wont get into much trouble in here. We can sit in the dining room and have some tea." she drug him behind her as she spoke. Zero laughed silently at her childish behavior and followed her.

They sat at a small table, small tea glasses near their hands.

"So, is this visit of importance or did you miss me too much." she teased, her nose wrinkling in a cute was as she smiled. Zero`s heart fluttered at the sight, and he had to gulp several times before he could speak properly.

"Actually, both. It is because I missed you so much that I came to ask you something important." He swallowed again, suddenly feeling anxious. He reached in his pocket and pulled something out, and hid it in the palm of his hand. Then, he reached across the table and grabbed Yuuki`s smaller hand, pressing the object into her palm. Yuuki`s eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak, but Zero spoke before she could even let out a stuttering breath. "Yuuki Cross, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

...

Kaname sat alone in his office, a room he seemed to be in a lot lately, and mused over the events of the last two weeks. If it was even possible, he seemed stressed, constantly breaking the things around him. He stayed out of the garden now, unable to bear the painful sight of his mother`s tears when he wilted her precious flowers.

He sighed deep in his chest and leaned his head back against the head rest on his chair. He was not only stressed out about the reversal for his daughter`s curse, but he was also confused about the many emotions that swam through him, especially concerning his childhood friend.

He didn't know why, but all brotherly thoughts had slowly vanished from his mind when he was around her, and he realized, with a frown, that it had been happening long before he had realized it.

The door opened silently, letting in a draft of light from the hall. He saw the familiar shadow of his wife before the door shut, then a light came on.

"Kaname," she cooed in his ear, suddenly behind him, "come to bed. You work way too hard, and I miss you." She pouted, wrapping her slender arms around his chest. He closed his eyes when she pressed her forehead into his shoulder, pushing back unfamiliar feelings.

"Not now, Sara." he said evenly. She made a sound of protest as he firmly grasped her wrists and pulled her arms from him. Determined, though, she only walked around the chair and sat on his lap, each one of her legs straddling his thighs. Kaname sighed again, but didn't fight her.

Sara place her palms on either side of his face and leaned forward, brushing a teasing kiss on his lips. She did it again, then again.

"I can help you, Kaname. Let me help you forget your worries, at least for tonight." she whispered, her breath tickling his lips. He opened his mouth slightly and breathed in her scent. They sat like that for a minute, sharing each other`s breath, until, finally, Kaname gave in and crashed his lips to hers.

Sara let out a satisfied laugh as he stood up from the chair, and she wrapped her dainty legs around his waist. All thoughts fled from Kaname`s mind as he walked over to the couch and laid her back on the soft cushions, fusing his mouth more firmly to hers.

Sara laughed again, deep in her throat, at the rough touches he placed on her. He wrenched his mouth from hers, then, and with a hiss, buried his aching fangs into her porcelain neck. Sara arched off the couch, barely able to move from his crushing weight, and moaned from the pleasuring pain. She gripped his back, gasping again as he bit in deeper.

"Yes, Kaname," she whispered, her eyes bleeding to red, "Drink me. Love me."

And Kaname Kuran complied.

...

Juri just sat there, musing on what Yuuki had told her.

"And what did you say to him?" she asked the young pureblood before sipping on her cooling tea.

"I-I told him to give me time to answer." she stuttered softly. Juri chuckled at the girl`s innocence.

"My dear girl, never tell a man just moments after he proposed that you need time to think about it, even if they are level D."

Yuuki blanched, head falling slightly in shame. "I feel terrible. Zero is one of my best friends and a very trusted guard, but I dont think I would marry him. I just feel terrible now for hurting his feelings." She murmured, setting down her tea. Juri sighed and set hers down before placing a motherly hand on the girl`s jean-clad knee.

"Yuuki, we are purebloods. We are supposed to be ruthless and horrible, spilling blood everywhere we go. Our hearts are supposed to be black as sin, and we are not supposed to care about people. Of all the centuries I have lived, the new generations of purebloods are changing all that our ancestors have made us to be."

Yuuki flinched, feeling like an abomination. Juri laughed softly.

"Do not fret, Yuuki. Our subjects love us even more for that. Although it may shock them at times, they are glad, even if it is deep inside, that we can show a little compassion to them in their time of need and moments of darkness. You are a very beloved member of society, and I have a strong feeling that Zero is not going to be the first to propose."

"Y-you mean _more _men are going to ask for my hand? And I am going to have to turn all of them down?" she asked, bewildered. Juri threw her head back and gave a throaty laugh.

"My girl, you might not have to turn all of them down. There might be one you have special feelings for. For now, just tell Zero you wish to remain friends. Although, it might not hurt to ask him to stay in the house with you, considering your a single woman with a ward."

The queen removed her hand from Yuuki`s knee and stood, stretching slightly to ease the pains in her back. Yuuki stood up, also, in respect and took Juri`s hand as she walked to the front door.

"Thank you, my queen, for coming when I needed you the most. Its been hard since mother died, and I would have died of embarrassment if I had to speak to my father."

Juri smiled warmly at the girl and thanked her for her hospitality. Yuuki stood at the door a minute longer before retreating back into the cool house.


End file.
